The Age reports that Ms Paulino had been stabbed 16 times in her chest and back.

Prosecutor Andrew Tinney QC told the court that Mr Paulino had been unable to accept that his former wife had a new boyfriend, and that he was bitter that their assets would be split in family court proceedings.

"He made annoying late night phone calls to her … he called her nasty names to his children," Mr Tinney said, the ABC reports.

"The man in the dock absolutely hated Theresa Paulino with a burning and violent passion."